The Clever, the Foolish, and the Broken
by AirGirl Phantom
Summary: Sequel to The Kind, the Cruel, and the Psychotic Now two Fentons are in the hospital, Val is consumed with guilt, and Sam and Tucker are in the clutches of a dangerous new ghost... who is also rather insane. DxS later on INDEFINITE HIATUS! Sorry.
1. Midnight

**A/N: **Wow, it's been FOREVER since I last updated! I'm so sorry! I've been so busy and distracted... Plus my computer crashed. It's better now, thanks to my totally awesome dad, who can do anything! XD Well, I finally got the chapter up! Hope it lives up to your expectations.

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**Chapter One**

Maddie sat at the kitchen table clutching a cup of tea. It was probably cold by then, she figured. After all, she had been sitting there for a good hour, waiting for Danny to come home. He had missed his curfew again.

And the strangest part was that he had been home earlier, after they came back from the hospital. Then, he just seemed to disappear; she and Jack couldn't find him anywhere, not even in his room. They didn't worry too much, assuming he would be back by his curfew. But he wasn't.

Jack had attempted to reassure her, and convince her to come to bed. "Danny'll be fine. Just watch; he'll come home within the hour. Then, we can give him another lecture about how he shouldn't be late, and everything will be just fine!" he had said. But she had insisted upon waiting up for Danny. That had been at 10:30. It was now – she looked at the clock – 11:58, and he still wasn't home.

_What if he's hurt? _Maddie wondered nervously. She didn't want him in the hospital too. It was stressful enough to have just one of her children there...

But Danny always came home with bruises and scratches, as if he'd gotten into a scuffle with someone. It was sometimes disquieting to Maddie how much she didn't know about her own son. He'd been acting differently ever since he started high school, and she only wished she had an explanation. The only thing she got was call after call from the school, informing her when Danny skipped a class, or was late, or (more rarely) had destroyed school property. And when she and Jack met with Danny's teachers, they would say that Danny often fell asleep in class, or didn't do his homework, and that his grades were slipping.

The Danny she remembered was a relatively well-mannered student, at least putting some effort into school, and scraping maybe a B or B plus average, with the occasional A. Now, all she heard about were his Cs and even some Ds. She was afraid for her son. If his grades didn't pick up soon, his future wouldn't be too bright.

Maddie sighed and stirred her tea, taking a small sip. She looked up at the clock again. It was midnight.

_Ring, ring. _

The phone.

_Ring, ring._

Maddie practically jumped from her seat at the table, sprinting to the phone. _Please let it be Danny… _At this point, she was past being angry with her son. She just wanted to know that he was safe and unharmed.

"Hello?" she said.

"_Hello, is this Mrs. Fenton?"_ a woman's voice answered.

"Yes. May I ask who is calling?" Maddie was slightly dismayed that it wasn't Danny. But who was the woman? Her voice sounded familiar.

_"This is Nurse Mendoso, from Amity Hospital."_ The many implications of this statement danced around in Maddie's head.

"Are you calling about Jazz?" she said quietly, with apprehension in her voice. "Is she alright?" Her hand trembled, shaking the phone against her ear.

"_Yes, yes, Jasmine is stable. You can visit her tomorrow. Er, later today, I mean,"_ the nurse reassured her. Then her voice turned somber. _"But she's not the reason I'm calling. It's because of your son… Danny."

* * *

_

It was dark.

That was the first thing Sam noticed when she woke. She didn't know where she was. But she had an inkling of how she got there, since she was bound at the wrists, ankles, and knees by glowing green rope. The ghost that had attacked the school had taken them hostage.

By "them" she meant her and Tucker. She sat up (which, considering how she was bound, was quite an achievement) and looked around. She seemed to be in a small room. The only light came from the crack underneath the door to her left and her glowing ropes. By this light, she could vaguely make out a shape on the floor near the wall opposite her, bound by the same ropes. She presumed it to be Tucker. He began to stir.

"Ow," he groaned, "My head…" Sam watched with amusement as Tucker attempted to sit up. Due to his extreme lack of physical skill, he was having quite a bit of difficulty. It was so comical that Sam couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"Sam, I know that's you!" Tucker begged, hearing her. "Will you please come help me up already?"

"Um, no," Sam said after rolling her eyes. "I'm tied up too, genius."

"Darn!" the techno-geek exclaimed. After a few more moments of struggling, he gave up and laid on the cement floor. "So… do you know where we are?"

"Nope. Not a single clue."

After Danny had left the cafeteria that afternoon, Sam had been sulking about him while Tucker was trying to comfort her, and get her to talk. A few minutes later, the temperature had dropped significantly: a clear sign of a ghost.

A female, insane-looking ghost had suddenly appeared in front of them. This sent the rest of the students in the cafeteria running. Sam and Tucker had been about to run to get Danny, but the ghost stopped them by knocking them out.

Sam presumed that she had then kidnapped them, thus, they were in this small, dark room with no clue of the time or their location.

"Do you think Danny knows where we are?" Tucker asked.

"If he doesn't, he definitely knows we're missing by now," Sam replied.

After a few moments, Sam heard Tucker gasp softly.

"What?" she inquired.

"I think I know – " he started, but was cut off.

"Well, it seems that my two newest prisoners are awake at last!" exclaimed an odd-sounding voice. The door abruptly swung open and slammed loudly against the wall. The ghost from the cafeteria floated in with a huge grin plastered on her face.

"Who are you?" Sam demanded. "And where are we?"

"And why didn't you just phase through the wall instead of using the door?" Tucker asked. _Leave it to Tuck to ask the stupid questions…_

"Shut up, you fool! I'm the one who asks the questions here!" the ghost exclaimed, turning to Tucker, the grin still on her face. She stuck out an open palm and clenched her fist slowly. Sam didn't under stand what was happening until she heard choking sounds from the other side of the room.

"Tucker!" she yelled, afraid for her friend's safety. With the increased light from the open door, she could see his face turning nasty colors.

Then, the ghost unclenched her fist and Tucker gasped for air, his skin returning to its normal color. "I'm okay," he whispered between breaths.

"I hope you've learned that I ask questions, and you don't," the ghost said happily, completely unperturbed by the whole incident. "I would hate to have to do that again!"

Sam realized that this ghost wasn't some unthreatening nuisance like the Box Ghost. This ghost was dangerous… And she and Tucker were her hostages.

* * *

"_It's because of your son… Danny."_

Maddie didn't say anything. She feared that if she opened her mouth, she might scream into the phone.

"_I'm sorry Mrs. Fenton, but your son is badly injured. Oddly, the Red Huntress herself brought him in a little while ago. She said that he'd been caught in a battle between her and a ghost. If you and Mr. Fenton would like to come down to the hospital right now, I'll have one of the doctors brief you on his condition."_

For a moment more, Maddie was silent. Then she found her voice. "Yes, we'll be there shortly."

"_Okay. Dr. Herreshoff will meet you in the waiting room."_

"Alright. Goodbye." She hung up the phone, and quickly went upstairs to wake Jack for yet another trip to the dreaded hospital.

* * *

**A/N: **About the whole choking thing... It is NOT a play off of Star Wars with Darth Vader! It's an original power I came up with that'll be explained later. So please don't kill me!

Also, I'm bad at writing Danny's parents. And I'm also inexperienced when it comes to hospitals... But I'll try my hardest. Valerie will probably make an appearance next chapter. Maybe Karli too. Please review, and include any thought you have on the new ghost, or just anything! I love feedback!


	2. On The Edge

**A/N: **Okay, where to start? First off, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I got the chapter up!

Second... I'm SO SORRY! For anyone who checks the updates in my profile, you'll know that: 1) The computer in my room is broken, and 2) I've had a lot going on in my life. But it's mostly the computer's fault. I'll explain after the chapter.

So, I finally bring you chapter two of The Clever, the Foolish, and the Broken!

P.S. Remember that italics are either thoughts or memories...

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**Chapter Two**

_She was walking down the street, going to school. It was a beautiful morning, with the sun shining brightly and a slight breeze stirring the air. But inside her mind, the weather was cloudy, and uncertain. She had many things to ponder. This was the main reason she decided to walk to school today, instead of taking the bus. Walking cleared her mind, helping her think._

_As she made her way to school, she noticed Sam and Danny coming out of a house down the street. _

_Danny. That one simple name was a catalyst for the torrent of thought that descended upon her consciousness. He was hiding something; she knew it! He and his two friends, Tucker and Sam, always joked about weird stuff, and talked about things that didn't make sense. It was as if they had some sort of inside joke._

_And sometimes, when a ghost was attacking, and everyone would be running away, panicking, Tucker and Sam would just hide nearby the ghost. They would have serious looks on their faces, as if they knew exactly what was going on. Danny was never with them during ghost attacks. So, the big "secret" either had to do mainly with Danny, or was only between Tucker and Sam._

But that's impossible,_ she thought about the latter option. _Those three couldn't be tighter even if they _were _related! _She figured Tucker and Sam couldn't keep a secret from Danny for very long before he got suspicious. _So what could it be?

_As she approached the house that Danny and Sam had just exited, Sam began going the opposite way of the school. She was probably going to the weird Gothic circus that had come to Amity Park._

"_Don't blame me if you get caught!" Danny shouted at Sam's retreating form. Suddenly, she saw three ghosts flying through the sky. Ever since her first encounter with a ghost, she had been afraid of them, so she quickly hid behind the nearest tree and peeked out from behind it._

_Then, she noticed that there was a ghost on the ground too, running straight for Danny. She was about to call out a warning to him, but was too scared. Luckily, the ghost ran right past him without attacking._

_She breathed a sigh of relief. Danny hadn't been harmed. In fact, he didn't seem to be frightened or alarmed at all. He said something to himself, then started running down the sidewalk, in the direction Sam had just left – the direction that the ghosts were headed._

What is he playing at? Is he trying to catch the ghosts? _she thought curiously, still hiding behind the tree._

_That's when it got even stranger. Danny jumped onto the top of a trashcan, and from there, the hood of a white truck, showing physical agility she never knew he had. Then, he jumped onto the top of the truck and sprinted down its length. She gasped – he was going to fall off! What was wrong with him?_

_Just as he reached the end of the truck, he jumped into the air. As he fell towards the ground, he was suddenly engulfed by a bright, white flash of light. And out of that flash of light… came Danny Phantom, Amity Park's resident ghost. He flew away, in pursuit of the ghosts, and Danny Fenton was nowhere to be seen.

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After dropping Danny off at the hospital, Valerie sped back home and collapsed onto her bed. Though she felt like sobbing forever, the tears never came. She took long, calming breaths, effectively slowing her heart rate. For a minute, she managed to concentrate on nothing but breathing. Then, reality leaked back into her mind.

Danny Fenton was Danny Phantom. It was a simple statement, but it was so hard to comprehend. Valerie didn't know what to think anymore. Sure, she had helped him, but to what end? Would she be able to ever look at him the same way again?

And what would become of him? Valerie would hate herself forever if she had killed him. She didn't want to be a murderer. Enemy or not, he was still partly human.

_But he's part ghost, too… _she thought. _And I _wanted _to hurt him, even to kill him, to eradicate him from the face of the Earth…_

Her mind was like falling leaves on a windy day, swirling about with no clear destination, and no order whatsoever. She just couldn't get over the shock.

Danny Fenton was Danny Phantom.

She and him were going to have a _long _talk.

Provided he lived, of course.

* * *

Dr. Herreshoff had a bittersweet job. He loved taking in sick and injured people, and telling their families that they would go home soon, that they would get better. He loved describing the patient's progress to health, and reassuring them that they would live.

The part he hated was having to be the one to deliver bad news. He hated saying that the patient wouldn't make it. He hated having to tell a patient's family what was wrong with their kin, and what _could_ go wrong. He hated seeing the looks of grief and disappointment in people's faces.

But it was his job. And he had to do it. Tonight was no exception.

* * *

It had been about half-past eleven at night when it happened.

_Dr. Herreshoff was just getting ready to leave the hospital for the night. He was in the lobby when he saw a red blur, and heard a girl's voice crying, "Help! Someone help!"_

_When she stopped moving, he realized it was the Red Huntress, on her glider. But that wasn't the most shocking part… She was carrying a blood-soaked boy in her arms._

_Immediately, every single person in the room reacted. Some people got a stretcher, others made phone calls, and some ran to the ER to make room for the new patient._

_Once they got to the ER, Dr. Herreshoff was one of the people who analyzed the boy's condition, and tried to find what was wrong. Just what he hated._

It was now just past midnight, and Dr. Herreshoff was in the lobby of the hospital, waiting for the boy's parents to arrive. His identity had been confirmed by his wallet, found in his pocket. His name was Danny Fenton, the second Fenton in Amity Hospital within the span of a day or two.

He saw Mr. and Mrs. Fenton come into the hospital, sad and anxious expressions on their faces. He walked up to them.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Herreshoff," he greeted them softly. "You must be Danny's parents."

"Yes," said Mrs. Fenton.

"I'm very sorry about your children," he said sympathetically. "Come with me."

He led them into his office, and offered them seats. Then, he took a deep breath.

"The Red Huntress told us that your son was caught in a fight between her and a ghost. She was too distressed to give us specifics, but his injuries basically told us exactly what happened.

"He has a burn on his chest, suggesting he was shot somehow. I'm still waiting for some test results to be processed, but we're pretty sure he's broken a fair amount of bones, mostly ribs. This tells us that he either fell from a fair height, or was slammed forcibly against something. Furthermore, his back is covered with large, deep scrapes, which means he must have fallen and skidded along the ground or thrown against a wall and slid down it.

"Like I said, we're waiting for some tests to be finished so we can tell the extent of the damage, and we're also waiting for him to wake up so he can tell us what happened. So far, he's stable, but just barely. He lost a lot of blood," Dr. Herreshoff said in a subdued voice. He cringed inwardly at the faces on the Fentons, but knew that someone had to do this job.

Mr. Fenton opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when a nurse burst into the office. "Sorry to interrupt," she said, gasping for breath, "But the phone lines are down, and… Dr. Herreshoff, the patient – Daniel Fenton – he's waking up."

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**A/N: **Wooooooooo! It's done! Now, to explain the computer problem... Anyone who doesn't care about my personal life can skip the next two paragraphs.

I have two computers in my house. One, the downstairs computer, is newer, and is the one I'm using right now. The second one (which I refer to as "the upstairs computer" or "the computer in my room") is old, and slow, and RETARDED. Apparently, it had an insufficient power supply, and couldn't work. So my dad went out and got a new power source thingy. And then it crashed. So my dad (who is AWESOME) fixed it eventually. It took awhile, but it is finally OKAY!

Another reason why I haven't been updating is because my life has been HECTIC. I made it to All-State Band, which meant for me, a three hour practice, then a six hour practice, then a five hour practice, them a two hour concert. So that took up a lot of time. I also have to practice for my school's talent show (which is cabaret style this year) at least three times a week. And lastly, my emotions have been all over the place, because of my first crush, but that's not really an excuse, I suppose.

So anyway... onto the news. I'm working on two new story ideas right now. I think you can find them both on my profile page somewhere... One of them is Danny Phantom, and another one is a crossover between DP, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Harry Potter, and the Inheritance Trilogy.

As for THIS story... You guys should be getting updates about **once every two weeks, possibly a little bit faster.** But you have to understand that I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to writing, so don't worry if it take longer than that. I'll try to go as fast as I can though!

So, tell me what you think! If you have any predictions for what's happening next, tell me! I don't even know where this story's going next, so predictions really help. Thanks for reading, please review!


	3. Phobia

**A/N: **Woo! Another chapter! I'm on a roll! Setting writing goals really helps! I wrote 500 words per night for three nights, and finished! Yay!

Alright, so this chapter is pretty interesting... Make sure you pay attention to things... Read between the lines... Enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter Three**

He was cold. So very cold. It felt like ice was running through his veins, freezing him from the inside out. He longed for the darkness that had engulfed him only seconds before, that provided him with shelter from the pain.

The first sense that returned to him (besides feeling) was his hearing. It was fuzzy, though; there was just humming noises every so often – some higher in pitch than others – and some beeping sounds. Soon enough, his sense of taste discovered the bit of coppery blood in his mouth.

His eyelids felt like lead, and were hard to open. For a few moments, he struggled against the weight, and then finally regained his sight. A bright light immediately greeted him, hurting his eyes and making him see spots.

"Ow," he muttered, closing his eyes and seeing faded colors dancing before a black background. _Why is it so sunny outside? I thought it was raining, _he wondered vaguely.

His recent utterance resulted in a sudden increase in the sound around him. As his sense of hearing sharpened, he heard someone exclaim, "Get the doctor!"

_What are all these people doing out in the rain? They must be getting soaked, _he wondered again. His head was spinning; he couldn't understand a single thing that was going on. And that beeping sound was annoying the heck out of him…

Eventually, he became too curious as to what was going on, so he slowly opened his eyes again. This time, there were people gathered around him, blocking out some of the harsh light. He could distinctly see that most of the people were wearing white, while one was wearing fluorescent orange, and another was wearing teal. _Wait, orange and teal?_

"M-mom? Dad?" he asked tentatively, his mind beginning to clear up slightly. As his vision came into focus, he saw that there was a ceiling above him – he wasn't outside anymore. He also realized that he wasn't lying on the wet ground anymore, either; rather, he was in a semi-comfortable bed, with his head on a pillow.

"Danny!" his mother exclaimed with a shaky voice. He then heard one of the white-clad people mutter something to his parents, and they solemnly stepped back from him. Then, a man started speaking to him.

"Danny," he said, "do you know where you are?"

Danny honestly had no clue. All he knew was that he was inside, and… "Away from _her_…" he said aloud.

"Who are you talking about, Danny?" the man asked. He seemed to be perpetually calm.

"Uh…" Danny tried to remember who it was that shot him; who it was that had caused him all this pain. He went through his memories, picturing scenes in his mind. But where he knew there was supposed to be a familiar face, all he saw was a girl in a mask. He finally spoke: "The Red Huntress."

* * *

Sam Manson was _not _afraid of the dark. She embraced darkness, as if it was a part of her very being.

But that point was up for debate now, as she sat shivering on the cement floor. After nearly choking Tucker to death, the insane ghost lady (as Sam had dubbed her) had done nothing but take away their ropes and leave, locking the door behind her.

So now, besides the tiny crack of light from under the door, it was completely dark in the room. And this darkness wasn't friendly at all. Sam didn't like it. The dark and the cold were getting to her, and she actually began to feel scared. She feared that no one would ever come to rescue her and Tucker, and that they'd be trapped in the small room forever.

"What are we going to do, Tuck?" she asked softly.

"Is there anything we _can _do?" he replied gloomily. His voice was still scratchy from the insane ghost lady choking him.

"I don't know," Sam said. "I just hope someone finds us soon."

"That's the thing," Tucker contradicted her. "I have a feeling that we're in the Ghost Zone. No one but Danny could find us here."

"If we were in the Ghost Zone, wouldn't we just phase through these walls?" Sam wondered, daring to hope that they could get out.

Tucker put his hand on the wall, but it didn't go through. "Maybe the ghosts have anti-human stuff, like we've got anti-ghost stuff," he said.

"Or maybe," Sam said, annoyed, "we're _not in the Ghost Zone_."

"But where would she take us otherwise?"

"I don't know."

Sam felt so fearful and discouraged that she didn't even feel like herself anymore. And she could tell that Tucker felt the same; his lack of stupid jokes was a dead giveaway.

_We're captured all the time, _she thought, confused. _We've been in situations that are more dismal than this. So why should this one be any different?_ Sam tried to overcome her negative thoughts, but couldn't shake the odd feeling that there was something in the way of them being rescued…

* * *

"Who are you talking about, Danny?"

"Uh…" He paused to think. "The Red Huntress."

There was absolute silence in the room as everyone tried to grasp the implications of this statement. Then, Dr. Herreshoff voiced the question that no one else dared ask. "Was she the one who hurt you?"

"Yeah," the injured boy said weakly.

Everyone gasped. Maddie and Jack Fenton were especially surprised, and, even more so, irate. While Danny was still conscious, Dr. Herreshoff tried to get as many answers out of him as he could.

"Can you tell us exactly what happened?" he asked calmly.

It took Danny a moment before he replied. "She just said we needed to talk…" he said with much sadness in his voice. His sentences were broken up. "But then she got mad at me… So very mad… And it made me so sad… And she shot me out her window… And then I landed on the ground… I tried to get up… Couldn't feel my legs… So I crawled… And crawled… and crawled…" he drifted off slowly and quietly.

As he was trained to do, Dr. Herreshoff quickly got over the initial impact of this news, and immediately acted upon what he heard. "You can't feel your legs?" he asked Danny, making sure he had heard right. The boy shook his head slowly. Dr. Herreshoff placed his hand on the bottom of Danny's foot and pushed it backwards gently. "Can you feel this?" he asked.

"Feel what?" the boy replied. The doctor looked up at one of his colleagues, and nodded slightly; she then made a note on a clipboard.

"Alright… Will you try to wiggle your toes for me, Danny?" Dr. Herreshoff asked.

Danny closed his eyes in concentration, and seemed to be straining to move his toes… But nothing happened. "I can't do it."

Dr. Herreshoff cued the nurse to make another note on the clipboard. "Okay… Can you try to bend your knee now, please?" he said. Danny tried to move his leg… and failed again. There was no movement, except a slight twitch in his hips that signaled his efforts.

Dr. Herreshoff turned to Danny's parents, who seemed grief-stricken and shocked, and said, "I'm sorry, but I have to ask the two of you to leave the room while we perform some more tests." And he truly was sorry to say it, for he could only imagine what the boy's parents were going through right then. Two children – their only children – were in the hospital at the same time, both staying in the ICU.

Dr. Herreshoff forced himself to concentrate on Danny, though. This issue was much more pressing. They needed to find out if his injuries had permanently paralyzed him, or if it was something that they could fix...

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**A/N: **Okay, the ending wasn't very good. I tried to come up with a good, evil cliffhanger, but I couldn't. Darn. Though I bet you all still hate me.

Thanks for reading, now please review! The next chapter should be up before March 9th! I think this story is going to be longer than the other two. I've got a lot of loose ends to tie up!


	4. Reassurances

**A/N: **Hi everyone! Sorry, this chapter's a day late, but I've got some serious projects going on at school, and I'm kinda falling behind. I'm going to be superbusy in the next few weeks...

Anyhow... I haven't got much else to say right now, so just enjoy the chapter!

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Chapter Four

It was six-thirty in the morning when Karli's alarm clock began to ring. Before the first ring even finished, she snapped out her hand and shut it off. She then buried her head in the pillow, performing her daily regimen of mentally preparing herself for the day.

After a few minutes, she lethargically dragged herself out of bed. By no means was she a morning person. She even took showers at night, instead of in the morning, because she knew she would never be able to fit a shower into her morning schedule as it stood. Everything was like slow motion to her. Mornings were really not her thing.

But as soon as she finished getting dressed, that changed. She suddenly remembered the events that had unfolded the previous night. With an unprecedented burst of energy, she practically flew down the stairs.

"Mom?" she exclaimed on the way down. "Mom, are you home?" Her question was answered when she saw her mother sitting on the sofa in the living room. She looked downcast, and extremely tired. When she heard Karli reach the bottom of the stairs, she looked up.

"Oh, hello sweetie," she said despondently. "I see you're more awake than usual."

Karli gave her a small smile, then became serious. "Mom, what happened?"

Her mother heaved a deep sigh before replying. "So, you saw the news, then?"

"Yes," she answered. "What happened?" she repeated firmly.

"I don't know, Karli. One moment, I was driving down the street, and the next… I was sitting in my car, looking at the girl I hit, lying at least five feet away from where I hit her," her mother said, tears brimming her eyes. "I honestly didn't mean to do it."

"I know you didn't, Mom," Karli said softly.

"I didn't even know I did it until after the fact," her mother continued, obviously confused. "It was like I blacked out for a moment."

Karli thought about this. "That's strange… You weren't distracted… just… not there?"

"Exactly," she replied. "I have no clue how it happened. Oh, that poor, poor girl… I'll have to go visit her parents."

Karli gave her mother a brief hug, then rushed off to get ready for school, her mind moving faster than her feet. Something wasn't right…

* * *

When he found out that Danny had been brought into the hospital only hours after Jazz, Mr. Lancer was alarmed. What were the chances that two siblings, both involved in separate accidents, would be in the hospital, critically injured, within eight hours of each other?

Alas, math was not his forte, so he continued the school day on Friday normally, despite the fact that now four of his students had been forcibly removed from his classes. Usually, he wouldn't think much of it. After all, in such a huge school as Casper High, dozens of people were absent every day.

But the only difference was that Danny Fenton had captured his interest lately. Mr. Lancer had promised Danny that he would continue their interrogation session. Now, he and his only close companions were all taken away from Mr. Lancer's access. Though he knew that Sam and Tucker wouldn't really tell him anything – his questioning of Tucker two days previously had proved that – he almost always got some sort of answer from Jasmine.

It just couldn't be a coincidence that the three people who knew Danny best suddenly were incapacitated (well, technically, Sam and Tucker were only missing, but for all anyone knew, they were incapacitated as well). Mr. Lancer figured that there was something going on… Something to do, perhaps, with Danny's "secret identity." Maybe not… For all Lancer knew, it could be some childish game that Danny and his friends were playing.

But Lancer couldn't take that chance. If there was something serious going on with Danny that he wasn't telling any adult, he felt it to be his duty to find out what it was so he could get Danny some help. There was also the fact that Lancer's personal curiosity needed to be satiated. So, with a determined mind, he decided to take action: he would find an answer.

* * *

Maddie and Jack sat nervously in the waiting room of the hospital. They had wanted to wait right outside their son's room, but a passing nurse had told them to go to the waiting room, for safety reasons. So now, they sat in wait of news about Danny.

They had been horrified to hear Danny's story. It had crushed them to know that their son had suffered so much without them even being aware of it (least of all at the hands of the Red Huntress). They had felt the same way about Jazz. The helplessness of their situation was eating them from the inside out. It pained them to have to depend on other people for their children's lives.

It had been at least an hour (if not longer) since Maddie and Jack had heard from anyone about Danny or Jazz's conditions. The anxiety was getting to them. Though they didn't want to sleep, they both felt fatigued to the point of nearly passing out. It was a tough night.

Finally, Dr. Herreshoff entered the waiting room. Maddie and Jack were immediately more alert.

"How is he?" Jack asked tentatively. There was a moment after he spoke in which the tension in the air was nearly unbearable. This was the make-or-break point for Maddie and Jack's sanity.

"Actually, he's better than we thought," Dr. Herreshoff said. A river of relief washed the tension downstream as he continued. "It turns out that his spinal cord was mostly undamaged, and certainly not severed."

"So why couldn't Danny feel his legs?" Maddie asked.

"Well, his fall jolted him enough that a part of his vertebrae was shifted around," Dr. Herreshoff explained. "Some major nerves that led down to his legs were pinched between vertebra, effectively impeding the feeling in his legs."

"So he's not permanently paralyzed?" Jack said hopefully.

"No," the doctor answered. "He was very lucky, though. His broken bones aren't as numerous as we thought. He only broke about three ribs and his right radius (in his arm). Other than that, he just has a minor concussion, some trauma from the long fall, and the cuts on his back. It could have been much worse, believe me."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Maddie exclaimed, resting her head on Jack's shoulder in relief.

"Does this mean he'll be better before Jazz?" Jack asked.

"Probably so. But only by about two weeks; his broken ribs and arm will take about six weeks or so to heal," Dr. Herreshoff said. "But he doesn't have to stay in here for the whole six weeks. I would suggest to you that we keep him in the hospital until the injuries on his back heal in about two or three weeks. Then, you just have to make sure he takes it easy and doesn't try anything that could upset his ribs or arm."

Both Jack and Maddie finally felt some semblance of relief. While Danny and Jazz were still injured, at least they would both be all right.

But now, with less need to worry about their children, they could allow anger to set in. Who was the maniac that hit their daughter with a car? Why did the Red Huntress injure their son so badly? Though they had been informed, they still wanted more answers…

* * *

**A/N: **Yeah... the Lancer thing was really filler, I know. But I've got some big stuff planned for coming chapters. Predictions, anyone? You know how much I love them!

Uh, if anyone has extreme medical know-how, and finds any information in this chapter to be wrong, just let me know please! Thanks.

Hm... I think that's actually it! No super-long story to tell this time! This next chapter should be up by **March 24th.**

Thanks for reading, now please review!


	5. Seeking Knowledge

**A/N: **Oops! **Two** days late this time. Sorry guys! This chapter may not be as interesting as the other ones, because it's from the point of view of two secondary characters, but hopefully you'll like it. I won't keep you any longer! Enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter Five**

_Five days later…_

Karli walked through the hospital somewhat nervously. She had no clue what to expect; she didn't know the details of Danny and Jazz's conditions. One thing she did know was that Mr. and Mrs. Fenton weren't currently visiting their children. It was around dinnertime, so that was to be expected. Karli had thoroughly planned her visit to the hospital so she wouldn't have to deal with the awkwardness of the presence of Mr. and Mrs. Fenton.

Since she had been walking rather briskly, Karli soon reached room number 106, Jazz's room. She pushed open the door and entered. It seemed that Jazz was conscious, because she turned her head slightly when Karli walked in.

"D-do I know you?" Jazz asked softly.

_Oh yeah, _Karli thought, _she's never met me before. _"Um… Well, no, you probably don't," she replied, reaching Jazz's bedside. "My name's Karli."

"Nice to meet you, Karli," Jazz said. Her voice was still barely above a whisper. "But if I don't know you, why'd you come?"

"Because… My mom was the one driving the car that… well, you know…" Karli drifted off uncomfortably.

"Oh."

"I'm really sorry that this happened to you."

Jazz gave Karli a small smile. "Thanks, but it was my fault, too. I shouldn't have been kneeling in the street in the first place."

For a few minutes, there was an awkward silence. Jazz seemed like she was thinking very hard about something. Soon enough, Karli decided it was time to leave. "Well, I hope you heal soon, Jazz. Bye."

Jazz smiled absentmindedly, returning her gaze to the ceiling. "Thanks for visiting."

Karli turned and left. She ascended four flights of stairs to get to the third floor, where Danny's room was. Slowly, she walked down the hallway, glancing at the numbers of the rooms. "408, 410, 412, 414…" she muttered to herself as she went. "And… 416."

Taking a deep breath, she walked in. To her surprise, Danny seemed better than Jazz was. _Well, physically at least,_ Karli thought. He didn't look very happy. The deeply depressed look on his face ignited sympathy within Karli. She hesitated before speaking.

"D-Danny?" Karli said tentatively.

He continued staring into empty space for a moment before he slowly turned to face her. His bed was tilted upward, so he was sitting up for the most part. Danny's sky blue eyes penetrated Karli with a sadness so great she could have sworn that she was the one who was depressed.

"Who are you?" he said. His voice was normal, unlike Jazz's, except for the melancholic tone of it.

"I'm Karli. Remember, we met in the hallway last week?" Karli said, gently prodding his memory.

Danny looked thoughtful for a moment before replying. "Oh yeah. I remember you."

"I came to see how you were doing," Karli said kindly. "You've got it pretty tough right now."

Some semblance of a non-humorous chuckle came from Danny. "You have no idea…" he drifted off.

"So, how are you? You must be upset that Sam and Tucker still haven't been found," Karli asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Yeah… I just wish I could do something…" Danny sighed. He was quiet for a minute.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Karli asked. By the odd look on his face, Karli could tell that he was confused by her offer. "I mean, you seem pretty sad and stuff, so… yeah…" Karli felt very awkward at this point. She had a tendency to forget that although she knew him well, he didn't know her at all.

It was silent as he seemed to be contemplating something. He turned so he was facing forward in his bed. Then, Danny surprised her by speaking. "What would you do if you revealed a secret about yourself to someone you cared about, and they totally rejected you?"

Karli was startled. Could he be talking about his _secret_ secret? His alternate identity secret? She quickly regained herself and composed a reply. Instead of saying what she actually would do, she wanted to give him real advice. "Well, if it was something small, I would just tell them to go jump in a lake," she said with a small smile. She continued, "But if it was something big, I would try to talk to them about it as soon as possible. If they still rejected me, I think I would just distance myself from them, no matter how much it would hurt." Karli began thinking about it more deeply, about how she would feel if she was in his place, having just told someone that she was Public Ghost Enemy Number One (well, that's what she assumed).

"And it _would_ hurt to let go of someone I love. But if it was for the better, I think I would, and then hope that someday, they would come around," Karli said. "That's what I would do."

Danny had a pensive look on his face. He then cast his gaze downward, sadness still emanating from him. _I wish there was another way I could help him,_ Karli thought wistfully, _but I can't let him know that I know who he is._

When Danny was silent for another minute, Karli spoke up again to reveal the underlying cause of her visit. "Um, Danny? I was just wondering if I could ask you a question about ghosts."

"Go ahead," Danny replied with an indifferent voice. He looked towards her though, as if now suspicious of her motives.

"What do you know about ghosts possessing people?" Karli asked. "How does it work? What does it do?"

"Why didn't you ask my parents instead?" Danny asked curiously. "They're the ghost experts; I'm just an assistant of sorts."

Karli didn't see that one coming. Quickly, she tried to make up a reasonable lie. "Um… Well… I _did_ ask them, but… They didn't have all the information I needed."

"And why do you think I know more than they do?" asked Danny suspiciously, but with a hint of something else… nervousness, perhaps?

"No reason," Karli said. "I'm just trying to get some information."

"Okay, then…" Danny said seeming to relax a bit, but still a bit suspicious. Thankfully, he seemed somewhat distracted from his troubles at the moment. Karli smiled internally as Danny continued. "Well, when ghosts possess people, it's called overshadowing. Generally, the person they overshadow kinda blacks out, and have no clue what he or she's doing. The ghost completely controls their actions."

Karli thought hard. "Yeah, that sounds about right," she said to herself. To Danny, she said, "Alright, thanks. I hope you feel better soon. Bye!"

"Seeya," replied Danny. Karli smiled as she walked out the door. _Mission complete,_ she thought with satisfaction. No one could stop Karli Tinyk when she was on a hunt for information. _No one_.

* * *

It wasn't until after school that Lancer was able to put his recently formed plan into action. When the bell rang, he rushed out of the classroom almost as fast as his students did, and proceeded to the main office. 

"Hello Mr. Lancer," Principal Ishiyama greeted him as he walked through the door. "What brings you here?"

"I need to look at more security tapes," Lancer requested.

"Really?" Mrs. Ishiyama said questioningly. "Why?"

"It has to do with Danny Fenton," Lancer answered simply.

"Very well. Stay for as long as you wish." The principal then returned to her work on the computer. Lancer headed into the security room. He was ready to watch videos for the rest of the night if it meant he could find out what was going on with Danny Fenton. He set to work immediately.

* * *

**A/N: **Wh00t! Tomorrow, March 27, is my **14th birthday**! YAY! You had all better sing to me, or else! Lol, just kidding. I hope everyone liked the chapter. The ideas are rushing into my head! 

Oh, by the way... I know this is a little late, but when I wrote chapter 9 of KCP, I also wrote an alternate version. I like it a lot more than the one I posted, but it didn't quite work with the plot I wanted. If anyone would like to see KCP Alternate Chapter Nine, just let me know!

The next chapter should be up by **April 9**. I'll try to get it done on time! Thanks for reading, now please review!


	6. Over It

**A/N: **Wow... Um, sorry? Heheh, I took a pretty long break there... Well, my emotions have been all over the place, so I couldn't really concentrate on writing. But then, I suddenly had inspiration! Yay for sudden inspiration!

By the way, sorry in advance if I got some quotes wrong in Lancer's scene of this chapter.

For more important stuff, read the A/N after the chapter, but for now, enjoy the long-awaited CHAPTER SIX of CFB.

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**Chapter Six**

Danny watched Karli leave, slightly confused. She was one of the most mysterious people he'd ever met. Why did she want to know about overshadowing? Danny couldn't help but suspect her of lying when she said she had asked his parents. After all, being a horrible liar himself, he could recognize a badly improvised lie. This brought him back to the question he had asked her: why did she think that Danny knew more about ghosts than his ghost-hunting, college-educated parents? Maybe there was a possibility that she knew his secret…

_That could be why she suddenly started talking to me last week, _Danny thought. _Maybe she found out recently, and wants to get closer to "Invisobill." _But Danny didn't think so. After all, she hadn't gone all fan-girlish, like Paulina, so maybe he had nothing to worry about.

Danny thought about what she was like, and whether he'd met her before or not. He imagined her face and tried to remember… Suddenly, a vivid memory came to mind: his first day of school. Danny flushed slightly; he'd made quite the impression in homeroom as soon as he'd walked in the door. On his way to his seat, he'd tripped over a flute case (and it wasn't even that tall). He now remembered that it was Karli's flute; he had looked at her and said sorry, blushing madly while everyone laughed at him.

Danny smiled at the memory, even though it had nothing to do with his dilemma now. He was really glad that Karli had come to visit him. Of course, he would've preferred to see Sam and Tucker, but anyone would be fine as long as they could lift his spirits a bit… distract him from reality…

He felt his contentment slowly drain away as he thought more and more about the recent events. His life sure had been screwed up. He felt so overwhelmed, and helpless. He had been so desperate for a way out that he had asked someone who was nearly a complete stranger for advice.

It had taken Danny a long time to remember who exactly it was that attacked him. At that point in time, when he had searched his memories, he saw nothing but what that person was to him: the Red Huntress. The next day, though, after his emotions were more prominent, he remembered that he _had_ cared about her, and that she wasn't just the Red Huntress: she was Valerie, too. But now… did that even matter anymore, after what she'd done?

Danny thought a lot about what Karli had advised him to do. Should he talk to Valerie, or just let her go? He could try talking to her. After all, he didn't know how she'd found out about his identity. It could've been some piece of evidence that placed him in an especially bad light. _Then again, _Danny thought forlornly, _it's not as if she's ever seen Danny Phantom in a good light._

And, in a way, Danny had already tried talking to her. He remembered her accusing questions vividly; the tone she had used with him still stung. _"So, how did you become half-ghost? How long have you been hiding this from me? Wait, no, don't answer me. You'll just lie, like you have been since we became friends!" _Danny had tried to explain, but it had been futile: her temper was unrelenting.

And then she had went and shot him. Danny was usually a somewhat understanding person; he didn't mind forgiving people and giving them second chances. But Valerie… she was now pushing the boundaries. All Danny had ever shown her was kindness, and yet she couldn't see past her grudge enough to give him a chance.

Well, there was his decision, then. For the past few days, he had thought of her often; her reaction still hurt. But now, he had other things to focus on, like rescuing Sam and Tucker. If Valerie decided to look past her anger and try to talk it out, fine. But Danny was not going to be the one to reach out to her again; he wasn't going to dwell on her while his best friends were in danger.

Reasonably content with this conclusion, Danny felt that, for the first time in a week, he could relax, if only for a little while…

* * *

_That night…_

Lancer took a sip from his super-sized coffee and stared intently at the screen. It had been hours since he first set to work at Casper High, and he was now sitting in his own home, watching a selection of security tapes that he had borrowed for the night.

Most of the tapes he watched (from cameras both inside and outside the school) showed Danny running off screen or out-of-sight somehow, and then a bright flash of light. He would disappear into several different places – the janitor's closet, the bathroom, behind a tree, around a corner – and not come back into sight.

No matter how hard he tried, Lancer could not make any sense of it. He couldn't even begin to guess why Danny was in such a hurry, much less what the strange flash of light was. Had he hit really hit a dead end already?

_Even if I have,_ Lancer thought, _I can't give up, for Danny's sake, and for the sake of his peers._ Determinedly, he stuck one final tape into his VCR. This one was old, from last autumn. It was near the beginning of Danny's freshman year.

He noticed that Danny and his friends were talking to his sister, Jazz. After a few moments, Danny abruptly stiffened as his breath condensed in the air in front of him. _That's strange._ He quickly slipped away from his sister. No sooner than he had, a student came hurtling down the hallway, screaming, "AH! A freakishly large hornet!" and promptly throwing himself into a locker.

A large, green, glowing insect hovered down the hallway towards Jazz, and chaos ensued. Lancer watched as the hornet continued through the hall. Just as it reached Jazz, the resident ghost "Invisobill" shot through the wall yelling, "Back off, ghost bug!" He slammed right into the hornet, propelling the two of them through the opposite wall. Jazz looked quite shocked indeed.

Lancer stopped the tape. This was the first one in which something interesting happened on screen directly before and after Danny's disappearance. It couldn't be a coincidence that, immediately after he left, a ghost arrived. Lancer couldn't explain the mist from Danny's mouth, but it almost seemed as though he knew the ghost was coming.

Exhausted, Lancer figured he would ponder this overnight, and continue his quest the next day. He was grateful that it would be a Saturday; there'd be no teaching to distract him from his arduous task.

* * *

Valerie paced back and forth in the hallway in the hospital, debating what she was about to do. After she had reacted so violently to Danny's secret, he had absolutely no reason to listen to what she had to say, nor any reason to even trust her. She was not anticipating the tension and awkward silences that would smother her attempts at conversation with Danny.

But Valerie definitely needed to do this. There was no way her mind could ever be at rest until she reached some sort of conclusion about the standing between her and Danny. She needed to know whether he hated her guts, or whether he had it in him to forgive her.

Taking a deep breath, Valerie grabbed the handle of the door to Danny's hospital room. For a moment she stood there, knowing that once she opened that door, there would be no turning back. Bracing herself mentally, she slowly pulled open the door…

* * *

**A/N: **Wh00t! Aren't new chapters just so exciting?

Anyway, first off... POLL TIME!

Question: For Valerie and Danny's "talk," whose point of view do you think it should be in? Danny's or Valerie's? And PLEASE tell me WHY. I won't go for the majority vote, but rather, for the most convincing argument.

Secondly... **I need a beta! **Seriously, guys. It's awesome how many ideas your reviews give me, but I need someone to give me honest feedback on MY ideas, too. So if anyone is willing to be my beta, email me at avatard_underscore_13_at_yahoo_dot_com.

The next chapter will hopefully be up within the month! Thanks for reading, and please review!


	7. Unleashed

**A/N:** ... At this moment, there are no possible words to describe my guilt for taking so long on this story. I am really sorry. Right now, my emotions are more haywire than ever, and it's a struggle to find the concentration to sit down and write. Hang in there, guys. I'm not giving up.

On the bright side, this is the chapter you've all been waiting for. This is where we find out what happens when Valerie and Danny meet again. This is where we find out what will happen to their relationship. Will it get better? Will it ever be the same again?

One word of advice, folks: I wrote this chapter very painstakingly. I was extremely careful with my word choice. So make sure you pay attention to how things are worded. Most of all, pay attention to how Danny and Valerie act, not just what they say.

Enjoy the chapter!

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Blue eyes met green eyes, and the world came to a screeching halt, if only for a moment. Tension hung over hospital room 416 like a suffocating blanket. The two teenagers simply looked at each other for a minute, until Valerie decided she couldn't handle the intensity of Danny's stare any longer.

"Hey, Danny," she said quietly, her eyes downcast. Danny didn't respond at first, but directed his gaze away from her. Valerie didn't say anything else, merely waiting. Compared to how she had pictured this, he was welcoming her with open arms.

"Why are you here?" he finally asked, a bitter edge to his voice. "Have you come to gloat about your victory over the ghost kid?"

"Danny, look, I… I was just really confused, and – "

"Oh really?" Danny snapped. "You seemed pretty certain when you shot me." Perhaps he was being a bit harsh, but now that he had gotten started, his feelings were spurting out like a geyser.

"No, I was angry," Valerie retorted, crossing her arms. "And I had every right to be mad at you!"

"And, let me guess, you had every right to put me in the hospital, too?" Sparks were flying as bottled up feelings were released.

"You're lucky to be _in_ the hospital!" Valerie said. "I could've let you there to die!"

"Oh, so now you're threatening me. What a productive conversation this is," Danny said with a glare.

"No! No, I'm not trying to threaten you!" Valerie exclaimed, snapping out of her anger. She quickly subdued her temper; it made everything she said sound a hundred times worse. "I'm trying to make you see how confused I was!"

"And you expect that to excuse you from what you did to me?" Danny demanded, fire in his eyes. Then, he looked away, and his voice softened. "I tried to tell you a lot of things that night, Valerie. But you wouldn't listen."

"I know," she said, her voice softer as well. Her eyes burned, but she held back the tears. "I know, and I'm sorry, but you shouldn't have kept that from me. Why did you have to lie?"

"Because I was afraid this would happen," Danny said. "I was afraid that you would be angry and prejudiced. I was afraid that you would hurt me… and that I would hurt you." By the end of the sentence, his voice had dropped to a whisper. Valerie dared to walk closer to his hospital bed.

"Danny, I… well… It was just really shocking, you know?" When he had no heated retort, Valerie took this as a good sign, and plowed on. "To find out that one of my best friends is also one of my greatest enemies… I just didn't expect it."

"So instead of giving your friend a chance, you attacked your enemy," Danny said. "I guess we weren't as close as I thought we were."

"Maybe not…" Valerie said. Then she realized what she was saying. "But maybe so. You know me, Danny. You know how short my temper is. You must have known how I would've reacted to the fact that you're half-ghost. Can't you understand how I felt? How I still feel?"

"Well, that the question, isn't it?" He looked straight into her eyes with a gaze that demanded nothing but pure honesty. "Exactly how do you feel?"

Valerie felt her heart just might explode from all the emotions still locked up inside. A single tear fell, and everything was set free. "I feel confused! I feel angry and hurt and betrayed and used!" she sobbed. She gulped down some air and continued in a softer tone, still crying, "And I feel worried and sad… and guilty… and ashamed…"

Her sobs faded, and she cried silently, now kneeling on the floor. Through her blurred vision, she thought she could see a tear or two on Danny's face as well. They remained silent for a while; whether it was minutes or hours or days, they weren't sure, they didn't bother keeping track.

"But… how do you feel about me?" Danny asked, so quietly she could've pretended not to hear it over the beeping of the monitors nearby.

"I… feel like I don't know you anymore," she said, wiping tears from her eyes, immediately taken aback by the words tumbling from her mouth. But they kept coming, one hundred percent true. "I feel like you've tricked me into believing you were my friend. But you never were. Or were you?" Valerie added, thinking hard. Figuring out her feelings was like trying to catch smoke with her hands. "I just don't know. I can't trust my own judgment anymore, because what if you really are my friend? What if you really do like me for who I am and through everything I've done? I don't know whether you possibly could, but… maybe…" She realized she had started rambling, and drifted off.

Her words tore at Danny's heart, but he was more or less numb to it by now. "Before, I did. I accepted you." He shook his head, took a breath, gathered his thoughts to say what must be said. "But now…" he continued sadly, "I can't trust your judgment either. I can't trust what you've saying, can't make myself believe that you actually care."

Now it was Valerie's turn to feel the sharp blade of truthful words. It stung. "But… Danny… I…" She found herself speechless; she had nothing to say.

"You shot me as _me_," Danny said, voicing the worst part of the whole ordeal. His voice shook as he continued, "Not the ghost kid, not Phantom, not your enemy, but Danny Fenton. Don't you remember him? Don't you remember _us_?" His eyes were pleading.

Valerie tried to remember all those happy times she had spent with Danny. She was presented with flashing memories of him making excuses, turning his back, being the ghost kid, lying to her… Upset, she still couldn't speak; another wave of tears threatened to spill over as she diverted her gaze from him.

Danny turned his head away again, looking out the window, but not really seeing the late morning sunlight that filtered through the trees. "Then go away."

"Danny…" Valerie managed to whisper, her eyes fixed onto him again.

"Please, Valerie," Danny said, his voice nearly breaking. "I… I just can't do this anymore. I can't pretend that everything's fine between us, because it's not." He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the tears away. "Please… just go."

Valerie stood, and wiped her cheeks dry. Though she said nothing, the dismal look on her face told him everything. Suddenly, her old anger was back; she clenched her fists, narrowing her eyes and scowling. With this expression, she turned her back on him, in more ways than one, and walked away.

"'Bye," Danny said suddenly, and Valerie froze in the doorway, just for a moment. The next second, she was gone, leaving behind nothing but the teardrops on the floor and the pain she had caused.

_I'm sorry…_

* * *

As footsteps approached the door of the hospital room, Mr. Lancer jumped away from the door and flattened himself against the wall. Wide-eyed, he watched as Valerie stormed down the hall, and a great many puzzle pieces fell into place.

_Have you come to gloat about your victory over the ghost kid?_

_To find out that one of my best friends is also one of my greatest enemies… I just didn't expect it._

_You must have known how I would've reacted to the fact that you're half-ghost._

_You shot me as me. Not the ghost kid, not Phantom, not your enemy, but Danny Fenton._

Though he decided he would postpone his planned meeting with Danny today, Lancer had a feeling he wouldn't need the security camera tapes anymore.

* * *

**A/N: **DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!!!!! Did you guys like it? I sure hope so! I labored on this baby for hours! Days! Weeks, even!

Oh, by the way, I totally forgot to mention something about Danny and Jazz's hospital room numbers. Both of them are significant, in a way specific to the person residing in the room. Danny's is 416, Jazz's is 106. If you can figure them out, PM me. If you're right about one of them, you'll get a **sneak peak** of the next chapter. If you're right about both of them, you'll get an even **bigger sneak peak** of the next chapter!

Speaking of the next chapter, all Karli fans are going to be happy with it, I hope: It features a lot more of our favorite midget! I'll see you all next time!


	8. IMPORTANT

**Seriously Huge Enormously Important Author's Note**

I am so sorry to all of my readers, but I fear this might be the end for the Disaster Trilogy. It's been a great two years, and I've learned a lot from this experience. But I just can't find the time nor the inspiration to continue this in the foreseeable future. I might continue... but then, I probably won't. I'm currently working on my own book series and on furthering my musical education... so I'm busy.

If anyone has any ideas or requests to know what happens at the end of the story, email me at avatard(underscore)13(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Thank you all so much for all the support and encouragement you've given me. I feel terrible for letting you all down, and I hope you can forgive me. If I gain some sudden inspiration, I'll try to continue. But for now, I'm sorry to leave you hanging like this. Thank you again for sticking with me throughout this story.

From

AirGirl Phantom...


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